The U.S. U-17 girls national team, coached by B.J. Snow, beat Japan on Monday, 2-1, in Carson, California, to clinch its third straight NTC Invitational.
The USA, which alsobeat England (2-0) and South Korea (2-0) at this year’s edition, has a perfect 9-0-0 record over the past three NTC Invitationals.
Against Japan, the USA went ahead 2-0 after 25 minutes.Ashley Sanchez scored in the 13th minute after meeting a deflected cross from fellow So Cal Blues player Kennedy Wesley.
Twelve minutes later, CivanaKuhlmann, the Colorado Rush forward who scored U.S. both goals against England, struck a sharp cross that a Japanese player knocked into her own net.
Japan outshot the USA, 12-8, butthe teams finished even on shots on goal (7-7). U.S. keeper Laurel Ivory, who beaten in the 30th minute, finished with six saves to counterpart Riko Ushijima‘s five.Ivory, of Florida club Sunrise Sting, was making her second appearance for the U-17s.
Snow’s team is preparing for the the 2016 Concacaf U-17 Women’s Championship in Grenada March 3-13.The tournament will determine the region’s three qualifiers for the 2016 U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan Sept. 30-Oct. 21.
Feb. 15 in Carson,Calif.
USA 2 Japan 1. Goals: Sanchez 13, own goal 25; Endo (Nagano) 30.
USA — Ivory, Wesley, Rodriguez (Smith, 66), Girma, Weisner (Rodriguez,84), Zandi (Tagliaferri, 66), Howell (Smith, 46), Spaanstra (Jones, 74), Sanchez, Pinto (Torres, 84), Kuhlmann.
Japan — Ushijima, Ono, Takahira, Morinaka (Kurat, 72), Kanno,Nagano, Miyazawa, Takarada, Endo (Miura, 81), Ueki.
Referee: Danielle Chesky (USA).